Tool handle



June 17, 1924. 1,498,089

7 W.- FRIED TOOL HANDLE Filed Aug. 2, 1923 64 1 01 vwq Patented June F], 1924 res WILFRED FRIED, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOOL HANDLE.

Application filed August 2, 1923. Serial No. 655,330.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILFRED FRIED, a subject of the King oi Sweden, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of illlegheny and. State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tool Handles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in tool handles, having for an object to provide a tool handle especially advantageous for transmitting rotary motion tothetool whose shank is received therein, such example, as

a screw driver, "facilitating a firm and positive engagement of the handle in the hand of a user and in consequence, permitting the tool to be rotated even when meeting with unusual resistance and preventing the slipping or. tearing 01'' such users handvunder these conditions.

It is likewise an object of the invention to provide a tool handle or the character mentioned having novel forms oi hand grips, which when not in use, may be positioned within the handle, thus giving the same the appearance of the ordinary tool handle and likewise, permitting of usage of the handle as such.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by persons skilled in the art, I have in the accompanying illustrative drawings, and in the detailed following, description based thereon, set out one possible en'ibodiment ol the same.

In these drawings zv Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the improved tool handle showing the pivoted arms or hand grips ingth'eir inoperative positions with respect to the tool handle;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the toolhandle showing the pivoted arms or hand grips in their operative or extended positions; a

Figure 3 is a top, plan View of the tool handle with thepivoted arms or hand grips extended;

Figure & is a vertical fragmentary section through the tool handle. taken at substantially right angles to the Figure 2 showing the manner in which the arms are pivotally mounted in the handle proper;

Figure 5 is a detail in side elevation of the bracket receiving and supporting the pivot-ed arms or handgrips; and,

Figure 6 isa horizontal section taken on the line 66 of Figure 5 looking in the direction in which the arrows point.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with which like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, the handle may be stated to comprise a body portion 1, having the lower ends thereof, il? desired, re-

duced and provided with a longitudinally extending socket 2; a ferrule 3 being preferably arranged about the reduced portion of the body of the tool handle, as 1s usual.

Grooves or scorings a may be formed upon '5 extending transversely thereacross and formed integral with the body portion oi? the handle in the manner clearly indicated in the Figure 1.

snugly received in the pocket formed in the upper portion of thebody 1 of the tool handle is a sul'istantially U-shaped "sheet; metal bracket, 6, the sides of which are provided with transversely alined bearings openings 7, while portions of the bottom of the bracket are struck and bent downn' ardly therefrom to provide spaced arms adapted to be engaged snugly over the opposite sides of therib 5 extending transversely across the bottom of the pocket in the tool handle, whereby to ensure fixing of the bracket (3 in the said pocket against displacement, Also, the lower portion of one ofthe sides of the sheet metal bracket 6 is cut away as indicated 'at8, the purpose of which willllie hereinafter morefully described.

(lomplementally spacedeircular plates or drums 9 and 10 are positionedbetween the opposite sides of the sheet metal bracketr6 being secured, as indicated at 13, to the peripheral portions of their respective plates 9 and 10. A pivot pin or bolt 14: is passed through alined openings formed in the opposite sides of the body of the tool handle and through the alined openings 6 in the opposite sides of the sheet metal bracket 6' and being preferably countersunk in an adjacentportion of the tool handle body 1 as is the head of said bolt. The remaining end of the oppositely disposed coiled springs 11 and 12 are secured to adjacent portions of the pivot bolt or bearing pin 14 as indicated at 16 and in consequence, with pivotal or rotary movement of their respective circular plates or drums 9 and 10 in opposite directions will be placed under tension.

Hand grips or arms 17 and 18 are fixedly secured to certain of the peripheralportions of the several plates 9 and 10 and are of lengthsand widths such as will permit of their reception in the open opposite sides of the diametrically disposed pocket 1 in the upper portion of the body 1 of the tool handle, thus permitting the outer marginal portions of said arms to be arranged in flush and parallel relationship with respect to the outer surfaces of the tool handle, as is indicated in the Figure 1, at times.

Portions of the circular plates 9 and 10 in proximity to the mounting of the arms '17 and 18 thereon are provided with shoulders or abutments 19, which, at times,

are adapted to be engaged with inwardly disposed stop fingers 20 carried upon the upper marginal portions of the opposite sides of the bracket 6 and being bent inwardly as indicated in the Figures 3 and 1. Thus, pivotal movement of the. circular 7 plates 9 and 10 will be limited so that the arms 17 and 18 may be swung upwardly to positions at substantially right angles to the tool handle 1. I V

Other shoulders 21 are formed upon the diametrically opposite peripheral portions of the circular plates 9 and 10 and as will be noted, with rotation of their respective plates 9 and 10, are adapted to be brought into engagement with the fingers 22 carried upon the upper side of a latch arm 23 pivotally mounted between the opposite sides of the sheet metal bracket 6 in proximity to the bottom thereof; the outer portion of said latch arm being reduced and slightly off-set, as indicated at 24: and extended so that its extremity is arranged slightly beyond the adjacent surface of the tool handle l. Hence,

engagement with the extended end of the re duced portion 2 1 will be permitted in order that downward pivotal movement of the latch arm 23 against tension of the expansible coiled snrin 25 ma be effectedsaid l e y 7 spring 25 being received in a pocket formed in the transverse rib 5 and having its upper end engaged in a recess 26 formed in an adjacent portion of the under side of. the latch arm 23.

Peripherally disposed pocket-s or notches 27 are formed in portions of the circular plates 9 and 10, spaced from the'shoulders 21 and are so positioned as to be engaged with the finger 22 of the spring pressed pivotally mounted latch 23, when the arms 17 and 18 have been swung downwardly to their inoperative positions and their respective circular drums or plates 9and 10 have been correspondingly rotated, it being understood in this connection that with rotation of the circular plates 9 andlO, the pockets 27 a will be brought into positions whereat the said pin 22upon the latch 23 may engage in the same, Because of the engagement of the pin 22 in the notches 27 it will be understood that the arms or grips 17 and 18 will be held in their inoperative position with respect to the tool handle 1 and at this time the tool handle will have the appearance or the usual form of handle heretofore prevalent. I

In using the improved tool handle, when it is desired that the hand grips or arms 17 and 18 be swung upwardly to their operative positions, whereat they will be at substantially right angles with respect to the body be swung upwardly to the position shown in the l igure 2, whereupon the shoulders 21' of.

the several circular plates or drums 9 and" 10 will abut the opposite sides of the pin 22 of the latch arm 23 and simultaneously, the shoulders 19 on said circular plates or drumswill abut the adjacent sides of the inwardly bent fingers 20 upon the upper marginal portions of the opposite sides of the sheet metal bracket 6. Thus, position ing of the hand grips or arms 17 and 18 in position at substantially right angles to the body of the tool handle 1 will be ensured and in consequencaa firm and positive grip of the handle in the hand of a 'user will be ensured. 7

Of course, when the hand grips or pivotal arms 17 and 18 are not desired by a user, they may be readily swung downwardly and into the open opposite sides of the diametrically disposed pockets formed by the arrangement of the U-shaped sheet metal bracket 6 in the upper portion of the tool handle 1; the finger 22 upon the spring pressed pivotal latch arm 23 now engaging in the alined notches 27 in the peripheral portions of the several circular plates or drums 9 and 10 and thus holding the same, together with their respective arms 7 and 8 in inoperative positions and against outward movement under tension of the oppositely disposed coiled springs 11 and 12;

Manifestly, the construction shown is ca-v pable of considerable modification and such modification as is within the scope of my claims, I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A tool handle having a diametrically disposed pocket formed therein and a trans verse rib arranged in the bottom of said pocket, a bracket snugly received and fixedly arranged in said pocket having arms extending from the bottom thereof engageable with said rib, spring actuated oppositely moving arms pivotally mounted upon said bracket and receivable, at times, in the open opposite sides thereof, and means for limiting movement of said arms in their several adjusted positions.

2. A tool handle having a diametrically disposed pocket formed therein, a substantially U-shaped sheet metal bracket snugly received and fixedly arranged in said pocket, a pivot bolt passing through the opposite side portions of said handle and said bracket, circular drum-like plates pivot ally mounted upon said pivot bolt and arranged between the opposite sides of said bracket, oppositely disposed coiled springs received in said plates and having portions thereof fixed to the plates and other portions fixed to said pivot bolt, said plates being adapted to be rotated in opposite directions under influence of their respective coiled springs, gripping arms fixedly secured to the peripheral portions of their respective circular plates adapted, at times, to be swung to positions at substantially right angles to the tool handle and at other times opposite sides of the tool handle and the bracket, drum-like circular plates pivotally mounted upon said pivot bolt and arranged between the opposite sides of said bracket, shoulders formed on portions of the peripheries of said plates and notches formed on other portions of the peripheries of said plates, oppositely disposed coiled springs received in the circular plates having portions thereof secured to the plates and other portions secured to the pivot bolt whereby to effect rotation of said plates in opposite directions, grip arms fixedly secured to the peripheral portions of said plates and adapted to be extended at substantially right angles with relation to the tool handle, at times, and at other times to be received in the open opposite sides of said bracket in parallel relation to the tool handle at other times, and a spring actuated latch arm having a finger upon one side adapted to be engaged with said shoulders and notches on the peripheral portions of the drum-like plates whereby to limit movement of the same in their several adjusted positions.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILFRED FRIED. 

